Kuz Kunar begins grassroots DDP process

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

01.09.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials in conjunction with Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team began independently drafting a district delivery plan at the Kuz Kunar District Center Jan. 9.

“I’m very excited about the DDP, and I think it’s a very good program,” said Haji Abdul Qayum, Kuz Kunar subgovernor.

DDP is a strategy, developed in coordination with the lowest levels of Afghan government, aimed at determining what services GIRoA needs to provide to its citizens. The plans are normally initiated by the Independent Directorate of Local Governance, a national agency that travels from Kabul to district centers across Afghanistan.

However, with the help of the PRT, officials in Kuz Kunar decided to be proactive and create their DDP locally without national assistance. The IDLG agreed to accept Kuz Kunar’s independent DDP, provided it follows the government’s standard format and meets their requirements.

The first step in creating a DDP is evaluating current capabilities in the district to ascertain where service gaps exist. To that end, Kuz Kunar representatives gathered to discuss their general competency in addition to five traditional areas of governance: rule of law, health and nutrition, infrastructure, agriculture and education.

The officials painted a reasonably optimistic picture for their district. They spoke at length about their connection to their constituents and the pride they take in serving.

“Our job is to identify people’s problems and challenges,” said Qayum. “Then we put the information together and relay that information to the responsible agencies above us.”


“We are here to listen to the complaints from the people about civil rights and other issues, to proceed with their cases as quickly as possible, and to deal with them with good behavior and good ethics,” said Hijratullah, the district’s chief "huquq," or justice officer.

Kuz Kunar is uniquely situated to initiate such a large-scale undertaking, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar PRT commander from Dallas. The district is strategically located between Kunar province and greater Nangarhar, and is divided by the Kunar River, a vital waterway that serves the water needs of all Afghanistan.

Furthermore, Kuz Kunar has a level of competent governance that ensures an ambitious project like an independent DDP, Anderson contended.

“Kuz Kunar has many of the elements we want to empower, many of the elements we want to encourage among other districts,” Anderson said. “It has a strong [district development assembly] under a respected leader, a district subgovernor who’s willing to work and get out of his office and meet with constituents, and [maintain] the right level of engagement between the people and the government.”

During the meetings, GIRoA officials laid out an impressive roadmap for Kuz Kunar. By starting their own grassroots DDP, the officials have taken the first concrete step toward making their grand vision a reality. They all recognize the challenges ahead, but remain steadfast in their commitment to working through their problems and meeting the needs of their people.

• Date Taken: 01.09.2011
• Date Posted: 01.12.2011 19:14
• Story ID: 63446
• Location: NANGARHAR PROVINCE, AF